The present invention relates to a grinding wheel for use in a grinding machine, which grinding wheel has an internal fluid delivery system for supplying a cooling fluid or a cutting fluid to a working surface of the grinding wheel.
In the prior art, end mill cutters with hollow shafts have been used to machine workpieces. The use of these end mill cutters requires a machine with a hollow coolant-filled spindle used in such machines are very expensive.
Thus, there remains a need for a grinding machine which has a system for delivering coolant or a cutting fluid to the interface between the grinding wheel and the workpiece.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved grinding wheel for use in a grinding machine which has an internal fluid delivery system.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a grinding wheel as above that has a fluid delivery system which effectively distributes a coolant or a cutting fluid to a working surface of the grinding wheel.
The foregoing objects are attained by the grinding wheels of the present invention.
In accordance with the present invention, a grinding wheel for use in a grinding machine is provided. The grinding wheel broadly comprises at least one fluid inlet port located on a first surface of the grinding wheel, a plurality of fluid outlet ports on a working surface of the grinding wheel for delivering the fluid to the working surface, and internal means connecting the at least one inlet port to the plurality of outlet ports. The connecting means preferably comprises an internal, tapered annular channel for assisting in distributing the fluid.
Other details of the turbine ported grinding wheels of the present invention, as well as other objects and advantages attendant thereto, are set forth in the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numerals depict like elements.